


Fenderella

by Yukiro



Category: Cinderella (Fairy Tale), Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: M/M, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-03-10 20:18:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13509033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yukiro/pseuds/Yukiro
Summary: The fable of Cinderella, told with Dragon Age 2 characters.It is very AU and full of crack. M/M with Fenris/Anders.I couldn't get the idea out of my head, and chose to give into the inspiration. Will only have 4 chapters maximum as it's not an overly long story.





	1. Chapter 1

Long ago in the land of Thedas, there lived a miserable elven man by the name of Fenris. He was forced to work tirelessly everyday, from early in the morning, until late at night. He lived in a large mansion that belonged to the Lord Danarius, but owned nothing but the clothes on his back. The human man had three daughter's, and the four of them tormented Fenris every day. The poor elf had to sweep the floors, cook breakfast and do laundry, and all before early morning was over. If he was not done before the four woke up, then he would be punished with even more outlandish tasks to do within a small frame of time.

It hadn't always been this way. When the Lady of the house was still alive, she had taken care of Fenris as if he was her own son, for she had none of her own, and Danarius' daughter's had been from a previous marriage. She had shown Fenris all sorts of kindness. She helped cook, clean and would often buy him wonderful sweet treats as thanks. It sparked jealousy from the three daughters, and from Danarius himself, and now that she had passed away due to illness, the four did all they could to tear down the poor elven man's will.

Even despite the daily torment, Fenris was a gentle person at heart, and did not wish any of them harm. Due to his kindness, he did not complain, nor falter when teased, or given impossible tasks. He would always hold a kind smile to the others, and did as he was instructed without complaint.

“Fenris!” Came the loud calling of one of the daughter's from somewhere upstairs, “where is my breakfast!”

A different voice then yelled out, “Fenris! Where are my clean clothes!”

“Coming!” Fenris called out, grabbing a tray of food in one hand, and a basket full of ironed clothes in the other, “I'm coming!”

“Fenris! I need you to sweep out the fireplace!” A third voice then called out.

“Day after day,” Fenris spoke quietly, a sigh escaped his lips, “it is the same thing. Fenris do this! Fenris do that! For once I would like them to sleep in later, just to have a moment for myself.” The white haired elf made his way up the stairs of the mansion, once more becoming silent.

Pausing at the door to the first room he came upon, Fenris placed the basket of clothes on top of a small table. He then knocked on the door, and opened it. “Here is your breakfast,” he said quietly with a smile.

The woman inside gave a narrowed look to the elf, her dark brown eyes peering at the other man with disgust, “what took you so long?” She complained, her hands held out for the plate in which Fenris hurriedly offered her. She had brown hair to match her hazel eyes, and was the eldest of the three sisters.

“My apologies,” the elf offered swiftly, he bowed his head, then quickly left the room again. He wasn't behind in his tasks, but he knew that if he tried to stand up for himself, the elder sister would be sure to complain, and make things worse. Fenris opted to keep the peace by simply apologising for anything and everything. With the tray still in one hand, he moved into the next room, and offered another plate of food to the second sister.

“What about my washing!?” The second-born sister complained. She had blue eyes, and jet black hair. Several freckles spread across the girl's cheeks, and upon her nose.

“I have your washing with me, just a moment.” Fenris said gently, “I will have them put away by the time you finish your breakfast.” No complaint came from the woman, but the elf expected that this was only because the human was now busy feeding herself. This gave Fenris time enough to go out of the room, put the now empty tray down on another table, and fetch the washing; which he swiftly put away.

“Fenris! The fireplace! What is taking you so long!” Came the third sisters voice once again, “It is far too cold to get out of bed without a fire!” The voice whined.

Sighing faintly, Fenris moved into the third room as soon as he had finished placing all the clothes away. The third sister was the youngest of the three, and was certainly the most spoiled one. She would whine often, even about the most pointless of things. She had light brown hair and blue eyes, it was often said that she looked very much like her late mother.

“It is about time!” The young adult whined, “I thought I was going to freeze my toes off, waiting for you!”

“I'm sorry, for keeping you waiting.” Fenris said indifferently. He quickly knelt down to deal with the fireplace, not wanting to hear more of the other person's complaining. It wasn't even that cold in the room, seeing as it was late spring, but he opted to not argue about it.

“So you should be! I cannot go anywhere with frozen toes, and father will be getting up soon! If I am late because of you, I will be most annoyed!” The young woman gave a grumble, folded her arms and huffed loudly.

'You could always get dressed without a fire...' thought Fenris, but he voiced none of this, and merely continued to clean, and re-set the fireplace with new logs. He then lit it once he was finished. Fenris then bowed his head to the youngest of the sisters and moved back out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Leaning against the door for a moment, Fenris took in a deep breath. He hated it here, but there was nowhere else he could go, and living on the streets was not an option. At least here, he had a roof over his head, food (even if most of it was stale), and a bed to sleep in. Besides, he wasn't exactly a free man. He owed a lot to Danarius, and it was not a debt easily paid off.

Resigning to his fate as a slave, Fenris pushed himself off of the door, and headed further down the hall towards the last bedroom. This room belonged to the master of the house, Danarius himself.

Giving the door a polite tap with a fist, Fenris nervously waited a moment before entering. “Master Danarius?” He questioned as he peered inside. The elder man was already awake, but had yet gotten out of bed. He was sat up, reading an old tome. Fenris had no reading ability, so he had no idea of the content of the book, but he knew it was one of the man's oldest, and most cherished tomes.

“Ah, Fenris. Come in.” Danarius said soothingly, though in truth, the gentleness of his voice hid the cold attitude he held towards his slave. “You're on time, for once.” He continued, offering a flat smile.

Fenris seethed quietly. Had Danarius not allowed his three daughter's to act so selfishly, and give him such grief every day, his chore's would be done so much quicker. Despite his annoyance, Fenris bowed his head as he moved into the room, “yes, My lord...” he said quietly, “your daughter's are getting ready as we speak.”

“Good.” Danarius said, as he allowed the elf to aid him in getting dressed. He had no real reason not to dress himself, but he took pleasure in making Fenris dress him. “I shall be taking them to the market place today. While we are gone, I want you to clean the estate from top to bottom, then I want you to make us cooked druffalo for dinner. I also have washing that needs doing, and the stables need cleaning, oh and the horses need to be fed too.”

“Of course, My lord.” Fenris said, as he slipped Danarius' boots over the man's feet. Another day full of tasks to be completed in a short frame of time. Doubtless he would have to do them all by himself, as he had no hope of help from the four humans. Why Danarius did not have more slaves, or even servants, Fenris could only wonder. There had been a time when the estate was full of other people. How he missed those days.

Finally, after an hour or so had past, Fenris had the estate all to himself. He took solace in the peace and quiet, even if he did have many jobs to complete. At least he knew he could get them done without further interruptions, or more jobs piled on top of the already long list.

A knock on the door caused Fenris to drop a plate he had been washing, “Fasta vass!” He cursed loudly, a thing he only ever did when alone. The broken plate laid on the floor, and he wondered what punishment would befall him for it. He supposed he could try and hide the evidence, but he knew that it would only make matters worse if he tried. Danarius would find out eventually, and when he did, his anger would be much worse if it had been kept from him.

Another knock on the door caused Fenris to wrinkle his nose in irritation. He left the shattered bits where they were and moved swiftly to the front door. “Yes?” He said, opening it to a young, finely dressed man. The male seemed to be about twenty years old, give or take a few years.

The youthful man stood straight, and his posture gave him away as someone whom had been groomed to show utmost respect and attention to anyone he interacted with. Fenris noticed men like him often, and he knew right away that this person worked for nobility, or royalty.

“Can I help you, or....?” Fenris said quietly, as he watched the man with an eager look. He wanted to get back to his tasks as quickly as possible, and this disruption had annoyed him. Still, he dared not to be rude, less he be punished for it later.

“I have word from the palace,” the man said, then held out a parchment that had been sealed with the royal crest. “Is the Master of the house at home?”

“Everyone is out, currently.” Fenris replied.

The man nodded then offered the parchment to the elf expectantly, “I see.” He said politely, “then give this to the Master of the house as soon as he arrives home.”

“Of course.” Fenris nodded curtly. He was curious what was written in the parchment, but he dared not ask. The youthful man bowed his head, turned on his heel and marched off down the street, heading towards the next household. Fenris noticed several other men doing similar. So then it was a city-wide notice being handed out, and not a special request by any means.

Shrugging, Fenris once more returned to his duties, forgetting all about the parchment in which he placed on Danarius' table. The small stand by the door was meant for letters that was delivered in his absence. It wasn't until Danarius had arrived home with his daughters, and had called Fenris from the last of his tasks, that the elf would find out what the message within the letter had been.

“So,” Danarius said to his three daughters, and to Fenris, “the prince is holding a ball tomorrow night.” His tone was calm, but Fenris could tell there was a hint of excitement in there too.

“A ball?” The elder daughter spoke curiously, “for what exactly?”

“To find a bride, naturally.” Danarius now spoke with obvious amusement. His eyes glistened in sheer delight, “and I dare say, one of you three could be the lucky woman.”

The three daughter's squealed in delight and amusement. To have the chance of becoming the princes bride, and in turn the future queen; was something most could only dream about. Fenris however, did not seem as fascinated about the idea. The three women were already hard to live with, if any of them became royalty, then he could only imagine how much more intolerable they'd become. He did however wish he could attend the ball, if for no other reason than to see what the inside of a palace was like.

“Does the invitation mean that... everyone can come to the ball?” Fenris asked, a hint of caution in his voice.

The three women gave him a glare, but soon turned to their father. Danarius gave a polite smile to the elf. One that he reserved for those moments that his choice might lean one way or the other. It made Fenris a little nervous.

“Of course it invites all of the kingdom.” The man said smoothly, but there was a subtle tone to his voice that Fenris did not like. “Though you have so many tasks you'll have to complete by tomorrow evening, and you have nothing to wear.” Danarius continued, he gave Fenris a fake look of pity at this, but then added, “if you can complete all of tomorrows tasks, and find yourself something suitable to wear, then I have no objections.”

Fenris perked up a little at this, and he nodded his head enthusiastically. “Thank you!” He said, seeming quite happy. Though he kept a hint of caution in his mind. He knew it would not be as easy as that.


	2. Chapter 2

The following morning Fenris moved through the market with fierce determination to complete his daily tasks. He only wished he could find a good enough outfit for the ball while he was there. He would have little time to make a whole outfit by the evening, and not enough coin to his name in order to buy a custom made outfit made for him. The thought of going to a ball was almost too exciting, and he could not stop wondering what the inside of a castle was like.

He also could not stop wondering what sort of music would be played, or what dances were the most popular. He had some lessons under his belt, but he had only enough skill to not make a total fool of himself. He became lost in his thoughts as he slowly made his way through the marketplace. It was only when he noticed a finely tailored outfit across the way in one of the many stalls, that he realised he had started to daydream.

Fenris let out a long sigh. He would never be able to afford anything so fancy. He would have to make do with something simpler, and perhaps modify that with small bits of finery. He gave a weak smile, his hopes of going to the ball dwindling with each moment he spent thinking of how he could possibly find something to wear before it was too late. It was when his hope began to dwindle, that he saw a plain but finely made outfit.

Making sure he had enough coins for the clothes, Fenris could not keep his excitement contained. A wide, beaming smile spread from one cheek to the other, as he continued to search about for ribbons, buttons, or anything he could use to make himself an outfit. His sewing skills were nothing special, but after being treated as a slave for so long, he quickly learned how to mend clothing, among other handy things.

Once back at Danarius' home, Fenris quickly put the shopping away and began to work on his outfit. He had found some old bits of fabric that the sisters no longer used, and had thrown away. He also found some buttons that were likely spares to one of Danarius' many outfits. For most of the day he continued to shift between house chores, and during the quiet moments where there was little to do, he worked on his outfit.

When evening came, Fenris hurriedly finished the last of his tasks without complaint, even though it seemed like the list had grown twice as long, and got himself ready. He was quite pleased at his efforts, and swiftly ran to join the others as they began to leave the house.

“Wait! Please wait for me!” The elf called out to them. He took a deep breath in as he stopped just in front of the sisters and Danarius. He was surprised at how smart they all looked. They always looked very proper, but this was much more than that.

“I am honestly surprised you finished everything, my little wolf.” Danarius said with a hint of amusement. Fenris ignored the tone that hinted at his suspicions of the man giving him more tasks than usual. “Well, I did promise if you finished everything, and had a good outfit; you could come.” Danarius continued, a crafty smirk upon his lips.

Fenris tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his heart, but when the sisters turned to look at him, they all seemed angered.

It wasn't until the eldest pointed at part of his outfit and screeched, “those are the seashell button's I couldn't find! You thief!”

“I didn't-!” Fenris began, but he did not get to defend himself from the accusation before the woman ripped the buttons from the cloth, the fabric ripping with them.

The middle daughter then chimed in with, “and those are the belts and buckles from my old outfit!”

“Those are the feathers I thought I lost! I wanted to use them for a mask I was going to make!” The youngest then snapped, joining in with her sisters.

It didn't seem to matter to the sisters, that these items they claimed that they had 'lost' or had stolen; were actually items they had thrown away. And it mattered less that they were ruining the very objects they claimed to want, or that Fenris' outfit was being torn with their childish tantrums and grabbing hands.

Danarius made no attempt to stop his daughters, and when all was done, he merely shrugged and said, “come now girls, we will be late.”

When the women were done, the three stormed off out of the door, Danarius following behind them. Arrogant laughter filled the air. Bits of feathers and fabric littering the floor in front of Fenris as he fell to his knees, sobbing. He felt frustrated and powerless.

A couple of moments passed, though it seemed like an eternity. Fenris had not moved from the spot in which he had slumped. His sobbing echoing in the hallway. Unbeknownst to him; sparkles like little flakes of glitter had began to flicker and twinkle in front of Fenris.

“I give up... no matter how hard I try to believe things will get better, they don't.” Fenris sobbed, his hands covering his eyes. “I just cannot believe in anything anymore. Those women and Danarius will never care about me, or treat me as anything more than a slave. There is simply nothing left to believe in.”

“Nothing, my dear elf?” Came a mild voice. “You don't mean that.”

“But I do! What else could I believe in now?” Fenris continued to sob, not realising that someone he did not know was now talking to him.

The being in front of Fenris softly rubbed the elf's head soothingly, “nonsense, my dear elf. If that were truly the case I could not be here. And yet, here I am, as you can see.” They continued to speak calmly towards Fenris.

It was now that Fenris lifted his head up from his hands. Tears clung to his cheeks as he peered at the person before him. They were quite stocky in stature, but held themselves with a playful charm. They had blond hair that had been tied up behind their head, and a roughish stubble upon their chin.

Confused, Fenris asked, “who... who are you?”

The man smirked widely, “your fairy godmother. Naturally. Or fairy godfather. Maker's breath, I don't know. Just call me Varric. And this,” he continued, pulling out a crossbow from behind, that Fenris thought looked rather different to anything he had seen before, “is Bianca. She's my magic wand.... well, crossbow. Shit, whatever.”

Fenris peered at the man for a long moment. He believed that this was the craziest dream he had ever had. He had fallen asleep on the floor in the hall, and was dreaming. That was the only possible explanation for all of this.

“Now,” the blond man continued, “you wanted to go to the ball, correct? Well I am here to make your dream come true.”

Fenris seemed nonplussed. “How, pray tell, are you going to do that? I have no way to get to the palace, and nothing to wear!” He explained.

“We can fix all that!” Varric exclaimed with a hearty chuckle. A slick grin grew across his cheeks soon after. “We just need some mice, a large fruit; such as a pumpkin, and a dog? Or maybe a cat? Do you have any animals here?”

Fenris expression was blank at first. He believed the other man was merely mocking him now, and soon his expression became unamused. “Excuse me? What have they got to do with anything?” He asked, somewhat irked.

“Look, do you want to go to the ball or not?” Varric asked, though he did not sound annoyed at all. In fact he still seemed quite content. “I need to have something to work with, or the magic is useless. Trust in your fairy godperson, broody.”

Fenris rolled his eyes a little, part of him still believed he had fallen asleep. “Fine, but I still don't understand it.” He said. Slowly, he stood and moved out to the front garden. He managed to find a pumpkin, though the animals he had trouble with.

Varric joined him out in the garden, and with a swift motion with his crossbow, and a little magic, he pulled out a couple of field mice that had been hiding in a bush. A cat, who had been sitting nearby; saw them and came charging over for an easy catch. Or so it had thought.

“Bibbidi-bobbidi-Bianca!” Varric's voice called out, and with another magical shot from his crossbow, the two mice began to grow larger and larger, changing shape into two; elegant looking horses. So surprised was the cat, that it attempted to change direction in mid-air to avoid both of the not-a-mouse!

Swiftly, Varric then aimed his crossbow at the cat, “ah, just what we needed!” He chimed. “Bibbidi-bobbidi-Bianca!” He said again, turning the cat into a butler, or footman. Fenris couldn't really tell the difference if he was honest. He was too flabbergasted to think straight.

“And now for the pumkin.” The blond man continued to work his magic, until he had a carriage to go along with the horse-mice and footman-cat. “Beautiful, Bianca. Just beautiful!”

Fenris continued to stand there, unable to speak. He pinched himself to make sure this really wasn't a dream, and when he felt the pain; he knew. Still, it didn't seem real. Pumpkin carriages, mice as horses... what else could happen tonight that would seem like a dream?

“Now, there's a trick to this magic.” Varric began to speak again, he turned to face Fenris. “The power will fade after midnight, don't ask me why. Andraste's ass, I wish I knew why everything had to be midnight, but there we have it.” He continued with a more serious tone to his voice, “so, yes, midnight, everything will turn back to how it was....” Varric trailed off for a moment.

“I understand,” Fenris said, nodding.

“Well, shit.” Varric said almost as if having just remembered something. He motioned with a hand to the elf. “Forgot about your outfit.” And with another careful aim with Bianca, Fenris' outfit changed from the rags he wore, to something fit for a prince.

Fenris was awestruck. He had never seen something so fancy, so beautiful and elegant, and certainly nothing so perfect as this. He didn't know what to say, but continuously thank Varric for everything. And to top off the outfit, two glass shoes. Fenris doubted the practicality of such items, yet they were surprisingly comfy and easy to move in. Another wonderful magic trick from the crossbow, he supposed.

“Now remember, midnight. Not one minuet later.” Varric reminded the elf. “Oh, and to make sure your lovely family, and I call them this with as much sarcasm as possible; does not recognize you, there is also a spell upon you. Again, it will vanish at midnight. So do not forget.”

“I understand. Midnight. Thank you again, fairy godperson!” Fenris said happily. He couldn't believe his dream was finally coming true. He didn't mind that it was only for a few hours, and then it would be back to how things were. He was merely glad to go to the ball.


	3. Chapter 3

By the time Fenris had arrived at the castle, most of the guests had already entered. Only a few stragglers remained outside the large doors. The palace was like something out of a fairytale. It was large, like nothing he had seen before. It was full of colour, and grandeur. Even the windows were full of flamboyant pictures, of Kings and Dragons, and of things Fenris could not find the words for.

He was in awe. Still, he had little time to gawk and stare if he wanted to enjoy the ball to its fullest. So with giddy steps, Fenris made his way up the large steps leading to the palace doors. Two men either side of the doors greeted him with flourishing bows, as they allowed him passage into the castle.

Fenris' eyes couldn't stop themselves from wandering here, there, and everywhere! He had never seen such wonder and beauty before. Danarius' home had been grand, but even that paled in comparison to this!

Below the balcony into the main hall where most of the guests were still lingering, Fenris saw Danarius and his girls. He nervously made his way down the stairs on the opposite side, even though he knew the spell would prevent them from knowing who he was; he was still afraid of them finding out. He held his breath while he kept his eyes on them while passing. Though many guests stood between him and them, he still could not help but feel uneasy.

Finally, he found his way into the ballroom. Even more people were here, taking advantage of the music and dancing. He mingled with a few people. Even though he knew hardly any of them, it mattered little. He was simply glad to have someone to talk to. He even danced a little with some of the women.

Feeling a little tired, and wanting to explore more of the castle grounds that was available to the public, Fenris made his way to the gardens. Few people were out here, though some did linger by the glass doorways. He supposed most people would want to try and get a glance of the Prince, after all this party was to find him a bride.

Fenris happily made his way further into the garden, where he found a medium sized fountain. Not another soul had made it this far out, and in all honestly, Fenris liked that. He was always glad when Danarius and his daughters would not be at home, the quiet and peace made the elf feel at ease.

Sitting upon the edge of the fountain, Fenris peered into the still waters. The pumps had been turned off, but the full moon reflecting in the water made up for that. Fenris had never seen anything so beautiful as his surroundings and the fountain. He almost wished he could stay here forever.

So lost in his day dreams, Fenris did not hear the footsteps of another walking up to him. “I am surprised to see anyone else out here.” The voice spoke, startling the elf enough that he almost lost his balance. Luckily the man managed to catch Fenris' arm and gently pulled the elf towards him, so that Fenris did not fall into the water.

Feeling rather embarrassed, Fenris murmured a polite, “thank you.” He looked up to get a better look at the man that he was now incidently embracing. The human was quite strapping, if Fenris didn't say so himself. And he did say so. Not verbally of course, but he did think it.

The blond man gave a smile to the elf, then helped Fenris to stand up. His locks had mostly been tied into a single ponytail at the back of his head, but some still flowed down to his shoulders. His hazel eyes were kind and gentle, but there was certainly something more in them that Fenris could not place. Like an aura of more than what he seemed.

When the human did not speak, Fenris suddenly felt rather timid. Like he had done something wrong, or that he should have been more genuine in his gratitude. “I-I'm sorry!” He said, realising that he had been staring, and that he was still, technically, being held by the human. He pulled away, his cheeks flushing deeply.

The human laughed, almost too kindly. “It is no problem, honestly.” He said, holding up both hands as a sign that he was truly alright with what had happened. “It was my fault for startling you in the first place.”

Fenris nodded his head swiftly, then allowed himself a better look at the man. He seemed quite refined, and well mannered. A noble at the very least? Yet no noble would be quite so kind to an elf. Or at least that was Fenris' experience with them. Though truthfully he only met a few, and all of them had been Danarius' guests, so he supposed like-minded people stuck together.

Realising his gaze was bordering on being impolite, Fenris spoke gently, “how come you are not back at the ball enjoying the party? I thought I was the only one out here.”

The man's laugh almost sounded sarcastic, “it was getting too stuffy in there. I prefer the quiet of the gardens. Though what about you? Aren't you interested in it?”

Fenris smiled almost sadly, “it is a lovely ball, but I am not use to such large gatherings... I prefer the quiet also. Something about this garden relaxes me.”

“I did wonder why I did not recognise you.” The man said softly. He moved to sit upon the edge of the fountain, just as Fenris had done. He then motioned for the elf to join him.

Feeling a little irked now, Fenris scowled. “I hardly see how you would recognise half of the people here, it is the entire kingdom after all.” He said, but what Fenris had really meant was 'how would you know one elven slave from the next?' But of course he could never be so impolite.

The man laughed again, his tone airy as he then spoke, “I suppose you are right! Everyone has come, haven't they? But still, I know all of the nobles, and their servants. Yet I have never seen you. Not once, but I see I have offended you. I apologise.”

Fenris scoffed loudly. “You must be rather popular to know every noble and their servants, then.” He said, still annoyed. He slumped down next to the man on the fountain, his arms folding in annoyance.

The man hid a chuckle behind a fist. “Popular is an understatement. So which house do you work for? If I might inquire?” He then asked.

Fenris shivered somewhat. He glanced away from the man sharply. “I would rather not say. They did not exactly want me to come. Though they would never say so openly.” He almost whispered his words. A hint of nervousness within his tone.

“I see, but it is not as if they could have stopped you from coming. The King did invite everyone, after all.” The man said offering Fenris' shoulder a comforting touch.

“They... have their ways.” Fenris said nervously, “though I suppose I did rebel a little. They won't find out though, so I'll be alright.”

A puzzled look crossed the man's expression, but he chose not to press the matter further. “Well you'll be safe here with me. None of the nobles will think to come here. They are too busy at the ball.”

Fenris gave the man a little smile, “I'll have to thank the Prince for that. Everyone is probably clambering for his attention about now.” He said, chuckling softly. “Though I sort of feel bad for him.” He then added.

The man tilted his head to the side in a inquisitive manner, “why is that?” He asked.

“Would you want the entire kingdom trying to make you marry their daughters? Just for some kind of political gain? I know I would not be happy with that.” Fenris explained, “I don't know much about royalty, but I do know that marriage is less about love for them, and all about which ties would be stronger, or which nobles have more land or coin... it's not very romantic at all.”

“No, not really.” The man agreed. “Luckily for the Prince, the King is allowing him to choose a partner. It can be anyone at all, so long as he does choose someone tonight.”

Fenris frowned, “how is that lucky? Sounds awful being forced to choose a wife by tonight. I've seen some of these noblewomen, and I would rather marry a thorny rose bush. Without the roses.”

A chuckle escaped the man's lips, “it is all a matter of perspective then, I suppose. Though no one said it /had/ to be a woman. It is not as if this Kingdom has not had same-sex marriages before.” He said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Fenris blushed a little at that. “Really? I had no idea nobles or royals did that. Some like to have lovers on the side, I knew that much, but still...”

“Does it bother you?”

Shaking his head, Fenris said, “not at all. I have never been with a man or a woman. Both are attractive enough I suppose. Though all this talk about loving someone is a moot point if the Prince doesn't like men, or if he doesn't find anyone at all.”

The man nodded. “True.” He placed his hand upon Fenris' own, causing the elf to startle a little. “I think he will be fine though.” He then added, smirking somewhat at the elf.

“Why do you say that?” Fenris questioned, but before he could get the reply, he heard the clock strike twelve in the distance. His eyes widened, and he quickly stood up. “I am sorry!” He swiftly said, “but I have to go!”

“What? Why?” The man asked, bewildered, but before he could stop Fenris from escaping, the elf had run off. As quickly as he could, the man followed Fenris, though found him to be far too swift for him to catch up.

A few guards ran up to the man, stopping him, “your Highness! What is the matter?” One of them asked.

“I need to catch up with that elf. Or else I refuse to marry anyone. Understand?” The Prince said sternly. The guards seemed confused at first, but then nodded and aided the Prince in making his way through the crowed to follow the fleeing elven man.

As Fenris reached the balcony that he had entered, he noticed Danarius and the daughters. They seemed unimpressed about something or another, but had not yet noticed him. Or if they had, the spell still seemed to be working to keep them from recognizing him. Fenris did not wish to take the risk in having them see him, however he had little time to escape before the magic faded, and so he rushed as quickly as he could to the top.

“Wait! Please, wait!” The prince called from down below the balcony, “at least give me your name!”

Fenris turned around swiftly to look down to the man from before. He blushed deeply when he realised who he was, as everyone else was now bowing to the other man. However the last few bells of midnight loomed on the elf like a dark cloud, and he turned around once more and headed out of the door with nothing more than an apologetic look.

As he descended the last few steps, he lost one of his glass shoes. However, he knew he had no time to reclaim it. He swiftly returned to his carriage and got in, hoping to whatever may have been listening; that the magic lasted long enough to make it back to Danarius' home. Sadly, his luck ended soon after he had left the palace, and he had to walk the rest of the way home. Still, he had enjoyed himself while it had lasted.

“I cannot believe that had been Prince Anders all along! I am so stupid!” Fenris muttered to himself as he reached Danarius' home. He opened the back door to the kitchen, so not to trail a line of dirt and mud through the house. There he washed himself down, and cleaned up any mess that he made. Finally, he took himself to bed. Hoping that he would get enough sleep before the terrible four would get home.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning Fenris got to his tasks as he usually would. He had been nervous about Danarius or the three sisters finding out about his escapade to the ball, but so far none of them seemed any the wiser. So the day continued as it always had. The sisters were demanding and intolerable, and Danarius seemed indifferent to it all.

Despite his continued work, Fenris at times began to daydream. He thought back to how grand the palace was, and how wonderful the music had been; but most of all, he thought about the Prince. The man had seemed quite nice, even to an elven slave like him. Fenris only wished he could have spent more time with the man.

“Thedas to Fenris!” Came the annoying sound of the youngest daughter. “Are you even listening!?” She demanded to know as she waved a hand in front of the elven man. “Father! He is doing it again!” She whined when Fenris still had not responded.

Danarius raised an eyebrow as he peered up from the scroll that had not long ago been delivered. “He does seem rather slow today.” Was all he said before returning his attention to the scroll.

“Ugh! You stupid elf!” The youngest rolled her eyes and complained. Loudly.

Feeling a thwack across the back of his head, Fenris blinked and quickly snapped his attention towards the woman. “I-I'm sorry.” He said feebly, not knowing what else to say. He had not heard a word of the woman's demands, and now he felt a little lost as to what to do.

“You are impossible today!” The woman huffed, throwing her hands up into the air in a dramatic display of vexation.

Danarius laughed a little, then looked back towards the two. As he rolled the scroll up, he turned his attention to Fenris. “Are you still upset that you could not go to the ball?” He asked, his tone almost sounded sorry for the elf, but Fenris knew better.

“I-... no. No I'm fine.” Fenris said softly. He couldn't exactly tell the truth, or Danarius would be furious with him. “I'm sure I wouldn't have liked it anyway.” He lied. “Though I hope you all enjoyed it.” He continued, moving to clear the table of the dirty plates.

Danarius smirked a little, though he nodded. “It was an....” he paused for a moment. An almost thoughtful expression lingered on his face. “...interesting night.”

Moving to the sink, Fenris began to wash the dishes. “Oh? What happened?” He asked, though he could already guess what Danarius would say. Some elf had caught the Princes' attention and had escaped into the night; leaving the entire palace in wonder of who it could have been.

Danarius as expected commented on the strangely familiar man that had run away from the Prince, though Fenris noticed that he made no mention of the fact that it had been an elf; only that he could not place why he believed to have met the man before. Somewhere.

Fenris was utterly glad that neither Danarius or the sisters could place where, or how they knew the runaway man. If they realised who it may have been, then Fenris knew he would be in trouble.

“The Prince is determined to find the man.” The youngest sister said, pouting. “He has every one of his servants looking for him.”

“I doubt it will be easy to find him.” Fenris said offhandedly, “there are a lot of men in the kingdom. Does he even know the man's name?”

“Apparently not.” Danarius said while leaning back in his chair. “However, a glass shoe was left behind during the escape. The Prince is currently going to every man in the kingdom to find the foot that fits. I've never heard of a glass shoe before, quite foolish if you ask me. So easily broken.”

At the mention of a glass shoe, Fenris accidentally dropped one of the plates in his hands. Assuming the glass shoe did not in fact shatter, it was entirely possible that the shoe could likely fit any number of people. Then again, it had been made out of magic, so perhaps it would not smash at all? And what if it only fit his foot? As the plate smashed to the floor, Fenris quickly regained his senses.

“Honestly, my little wolf... you are in a rather clumsy mood today.” Danarius mocked. “Perhaps you've had too much of a rest this morning? I'll have to find you some harder tasks, so that you won't be so dazed?”

Fenris hunched his shoulders and rubbed the side of his arm absently. “I-I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to drop the plate. I'll clean it up.” He said, bending down to pick up the fragments.

Danarius offered a shrug of his shoulders, then turned to his daughter. “Why don't you join your sisters in the music room? You need the practice as much as they do.” He said softly to her, and with a nod towards her father, the woman left the room.

Once alone, Danarius watched Fenris with renewed interest. He tapped his lips with his index finger thoughtfully. “It really is a shame you could not attend the ball.” He said with a smile.

Fenris glanced up at the human but quickly moved his eyes downwards. He did not want the man to see his responses, just in case his expressions gave away the truth. He wasn't sure what to say, and thus did not respond with words. He merely nodded.

“Do you think my foot might fit the shoe?” Danarius mused, another grin growing upon his lips.

“I-I don't know?” Fenris responded, seeming puzzled by the renewed curiosity. The elf supposed he would have given up, now that his daughters could not possibly be of any interest to the Prince. Having Danarius' eyes so keenly set upon him; made Fenris nervous.

Placing his hands upon the table, Danarius soon had his usual indifferent expression. “I guess it matters little. The Prince will find he has too many men who fit the shoe, and gives up entirely before reaching us.”

Fenris nodded meekly.

Moving from the table, Danarius beckoned Fenris to follow. “I have decided what I wish for you to do.” He said calmly.

“R-right...” Fenris said, following after the man obediently.

Danarius led Fenris up to the furthest point of the mansion. The attic was awfully dusty and it made the elf's nose twitch. “This room has not been touched in a long time. I want you to dust it from top to bottom.” Danarius ordered. Fenris nodded.

As the man left the room, Fenris sighed deeply. He opened one of the windows, it was small and full of cobwebs, but at least it would let some fresh air into the attic. He began to dust and clean, though daydreaming all the while. He could not help but dance a little around the room; still thinking of the ball the night before.

Meanwhile downstairs, a knock on the door alerted Danarius to an uninvited guest at his home. His lips thinned as he moved to answer the door. “Yes?” He asked, unhappy at being disturbed, but not wishing to be seen as impolite.

At the door stood several men in fancy suits. The one closest to the door, unravelled a small scroll and spoke clearly, “by order of the Prince, all eligible men are to try on this glass shoe. How many are within this house?”

Danarius glanced behind him shortly, then returned his gaze to the men in front of him. “There is only myself and my daughters here.” He offered the man a polite smile. He then added, almost as an after-thought, “you are welcome to see if the shoe fits me.”

“Very well.” Said the man at the door, and he snapped his fingers towards a youthful man holding a large pillow with the glass shoe carefully placed atop it.

As was to be expected, the shoe did not fit Danarius at all, and the servants began to leave the mansion. It was at this time Fenris had come back downstairs to try and get a bucket of water in order to wash the floor. He paused near the bottom of the steps as he suddenly realised all eyes had shifted onto him. Danarius looked like he was about to kill him, and the finely dressed men looked shocked, as if they had not expected to see him here at all.

Fenris wasn't sure what to say, or do. He worried that he had interrupted something important and swiftly bowed his head, and began to quietly make his exit in utter silence. He hadn't even noticed the glass shoe in his haste to get away from Danarius' angry glare.

“I believe you told us, that you were the only man in the house.” The head servant said, his tone obviously displeased at being lied too.

Danarius tried to laugh it off for a moment before saying, “he is just a servant here. You don't have to worry about him.”

“I was given exact instructions, good sir.” The man said firmly. He then looked over to Fenris and called, “you there, halt!”

Fenris stopped in his movements, his shoulders hunched. He slowly turned around, not wanting to be the centre of attention as he was. “Y-yes, sir?” He spoke carefully, not taking his eyes off of the ground, mostly to avoid his masters eyes.

“By order of the Prince, we require you to try this glass shoe on.” The man said harshly, as if he was tired of this whole house, and the people within it. However he remained calm and professional, despite his obvious annoyance with Danarius.

Fenris wondered why Danarius didn't just claim that the shoe could not possibly be his, since Danarius believed he had not gone to the ball, and that he owned no such luxury items. Then the servant wouldn't bother even trying to fit the shoe. However, Fenris soon realised that 'everyone' had been invited to the ball, and Danarius would loose face if he even so much as mentioned the fact that Fenris had not been able to go.

This gave Fenris a little more confidence. It wasn't that he wanted to marry the Prince, but the thought of leaving this house, and the cruel people within it; made him happy. And it wasn't as if the Prince was not good looking, for he most certainly was! Besides, he seemed quite nice, and that had been the first time anyone had been kind to Fenris since Danarius' wife had passed away.

As Fenris sat into the chair, the servants once more began to move into the mansion. It was at this time, Danarius noticed Fenris' expression. The elf seemed relaxed, maybe even happy, despite the fact that he should have no reason to be. Danarius' own expression became blank. He had no evidence, but he began to put two and two together.

As the servant carrying the glass shoe walked past Danarius, he slyly put his foot out, causing the servant to fall and drop the footwear. It shattered into a thousand pieces as it hit the floor. The fallen servant was in shock, and had not seen what he had tripped on, but with bits of glass all over the floor, they knew the trouble they were in.

“You fool!” Cried the leader of the servants, “now what are we going to do? The Prince is going to be so mad with us!”

Fenris had seen what Danarius had done, and for once in his life, Fenris knew he had to take matters into his own hands. However he was not as heartless as Danarius, or his three daughters. “Um, excuse me?” He said, standing from the chair, and offering to help the downed-servant to stand. He then turned to the head servant and said, “you don't have to worry about the Prince being angry.”

“And why not? We just lost the one chance at finding the man he has fallen in love with!” The man said with distress.

“Well,” Fenris said as he pulled out the other glass shoe from the pocket of his apron, “I have the other shoe.” He hadn't kept it in there the entire day, but he knew he couldn't have just left it anywhere Danarius or the girls would find it, and so he moved its hiding place about, and kept it upon him whenever he left an area.

The next few hours seemed like a dream to Fenris. He had been taken back to the castle and given a nice hot bath and clean clothes. He met Prince Anders again, and the two talked about everything and anything. It was obvious Anders was smitten with Fenris, and the elf couldn't say he minded at all. It was a vast difference to being treated no better than a slave. He even agreed to marry the Prince, and had no desire to punish Danarius or his daughters. His only request was that he never have to deal with them again.

Life in the castle was joyful, though it proved difficult to learn all of the ways one must present themselves as a royal. Still, he enjoyed his lessons, and was able to learn much from Anders, who rarely left his side. Fenris soon found himself falling in love with the Prince more and more with each passing day, and the two lived happily ever after.


End file.
